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 Summary 

 Mishna: 

A stolen or dried out esrog is possul. From an Asherah tree or from an ir hanidachas is possul. 

An esrog of orlah is possul. 

 Terumah temeiah is possul (because it is forbidden to eat). 

An esrog of terumah shouldn’t be used (because it may become tamei), but if it was used, it’s kosher.

An esrog of Demai: Beis Shammai: It is possul. Beis Hillel: It is kosher.

An esrog of maaser sheini in Yerushalayim [where it may be eaten] shouldn’t be used (because it may become tamei), but if it was used, it’s kosher.

If a chazazis - a growth of tiny blisters - came on most of the esrog, or if the pitom is broken off, if it was peeled, if it was split, it was pierced and a bit is missing; it’s possul. 

If a chazazis came on a small part of the esrog, or if the ukatz is broken off, if it was pierced and nothing is missing; it’s kosher.

A black esrog is possul. 

If it’s green like a vegetable: Rabbi Meir: It is kosher. Rabbi Yehuda: It is possul. 

A small esrog: Rabbi Meir: It must be the size of a walnut. Rabbi Yehuda: It must be the size of an egg.

A large esrog: Rabbi Yehuda: He must be able to hold two in one hand. Rabbi Yosi: Even if he can only hold one in both hands, it’s kosher.

 Gemara: 

 Beraisa: “The beautiful fruit of a tree” - this is the esrog whose tree tastes like its fruit.

 Challenge: What about the pepper tree which also shares this quality, as we learn in a beraisa: “You will plant all [fruit] trees of food” - why does the possuk add ‘of food’, don’t all fruit trees give food? This teaches A. that even the pepper is included in the mitzvah of orlah. B. that nothing is missing from Eretz Yisroel as it states “you will lack nothing”.

 Resolution: Our possuk cannot be referring to pepper. One peppercorn is too small to “take”, and the possuk refers to it in the singular, so more cannot be taken. Therefore “a fruit whose tree tastes like it” must refer to the esrog.